CARU Reviews Ad for Zuru’s ‘Dory’ and ‘Bailey’ Toys; Recommends Advertiser Modify Swimming Pool Scene to Address Safety Concerns
New York, NY – Oct. 12, 2016 – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) has recommended that Zuru Inc., the maker of products that include the “Finding Dory: Swimming Dory and Bailey Robofish,” modify broadcast advertising for the toys to address CARU’s safety concerns over swimming pool scenes. The company has agreed to do so.
CARU, an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation, monitors advertising directed to children in all media and across all platforms. CARU is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
Television advertising for the products came to CARU’s attention through CARU’s routine monitoring of advertising directed to children. The commercial featured two children swimming under water in a pool with their Dory and Bailey toys. CARU’s guidelines provide that when an activity would be unsafe without adult supervision, supervision should be depicted. In this case, the swimming pool scenes did not show adult supervision. CARU has long held that swimming is an activity that poses a potential safety risk for children and has required that advertisers visually depict adult supervision when featuring images of children in activities involving water, whether in a swimming pool, at the beach, or on a water slide in a back yard.
In response to CARU’s inquiry, the advertiser said that children’s safety “is of utmost concern to Zuru. If we elect to air the commercial again in future we will make the suggested modifications or remove the pool scenes.”
Subscribe to the Ad Law Insights or Privacy Initiatives newsletters for an exclusive monthly analysis and insider perspectives on the latest trends and case decisions in advertising law and data privacy.
Latest Decisions
National Advertising Division Recommends Blueprint Test Preparation Discontinue Certain MCAT Score Improvement Claims
New York, NY – April 22, 2024 – The National Advertising Division recommended Blueprint Test Preparation discontinue certain express and implied claims made in connection with its four MCAT preparation courses, including claims that Blueprint students raise their MCAT scores by 15 or 13 points on average.
National Advertising Division Recommends The Princeton Review Discontinue Point Increase Claims for MCAT Test Preparation Services
New York, NY – April 18, 2024 – In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge, the National Advertising Division recommended that The Princeton Review (TPR) discontinue claims that its students “Score a 515+ on the MCAT or add 15 points depending on your starting score. Guaranteed or your money back.”
Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council Recommends Trades of Hope Discontinue Salesforce Member Earnings Claims
McLean, VA – April 17, 2024 – The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) recommended that Trades of Hope discontinue certain earnings claims made by salesforce members on Facebook and YouTube.
National Advertising Division Recommends Lily of the Desert Nutraceuticals Discontinue “100% Pure Avocado Oil” Claim for Tropical Plantation Avocado Oil
New York, NY – April 15, 2024 – The National Advertising Division recommended that Lily of the Desert Nutraceuticals discontinue the claim “100% Pure Avocado Oil” for its Tropical Plantation Avocado Oil and avoid conveying the unsupported message that the product is 100% pure avocado...